Device for operating foundry-ladles



(No Model.)

J. H. WHITING.

DEVICE FOR OPERATING FOUNDRY LADLES.

Patented June 2 1885.

NIIFD dramas arena rricn.

J. HILL "VHITING, OF DETROIT, llIIC-HIGAN.

DEVICE FOR OPERATING FOUNDRY-=LADLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,158, dated June 2, 1885.

Application filed March 25, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J. HILL *vVHIrINe, of Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Devices for Operating Foundry- Ladles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in devices for operating foundryladles of that class used as an intermediate receptacle to receive a large charge of molten metal from the cupola for distribution into smaller portable ladies used for pouring into the molds.

Ladies of this class are supported on trunnions upon a stationary frame in proximity to the foundry-cupola, and are provided with a hand-wheel and suitable gearing for tipping. Owing to the large weight of the ladle and its charge of molten metal, the process of tipping it by hand-power is slow and tedious, and the size of the ladle and amount of charge cannot be increased beyond a certain limit, as it is inexpedient to use more than one laborer for this work.

It is the object of my invention to do away with hand-power and use mechanical power for tipping the ladle. The application of mechanical power for this object requires in this instance extra means for putting it under such absolute control of the operator, that it will not become a dangerous factor leading to accidents resulting from the spilling of the molten Charge.

It is another object of my invention to change the manner of tipping the ladle. Heretofore the gearing used for tipping the ladle had the same slow rate of speed for tipping it to pour from and for restoring it into vertical position after pouring.

My improved gearing has two different rates of speed-a slow speed for inclining the ladle for pouring and a relatively-faster speed for restoring it again.

In the drawings which accompany this specification, Figure l is a perspective view of my improved ladle and of thedevices for operating it by mechanical means. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan of the ladle. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line as w in Fig. 2.

A is a ladle supported upon trunnions B updna stationary frame, O,in such manner that it may be freely tipped. It is placed in proximity to the cupola to receive a charge of molten metal through a suitable trough, D, and is provided with the usual devices, consisting of the gear-wheel E, worm F, bevel-gears G H, and hand-wheel I, for tipping the ladle by hand-power.

My invention consists in the arrangement and construction of the following devices.

J is a friction-wheel provided with an interior contact-face, a; and Kis another frictionwheel of smaller diameter concentrically secured within the former, as shown in Fig. 1, or formed integrally therewith, as shown in Fig. 4., and having the contact-face b.

L is the shaft, to one end of which the friction-wheels J K are secured. This shaft is journaled in bearings c d, the latter of which is made to slide endwise upon its seat. M is a rock-shaft provided with the rock-arm N, which is connected by a connecting-rod, O, to one end of the sliding bearing d, and a lever, 1?, is secured to the rock-shaft and reaches in proximity to the ladle.

Z is a countershaft having secured to one end of it a friction-wheel, Q, adapted to revolve freely between the contact-faces of the friction-wheels J K. R is a pulley for transmitting power to the shaft Z.

S is a sprocket-wheel secured upon the shaft L. T is a sprocket-wheel secured upon the shaft of the hand-wheel I, and U is an endless chain passing around the two sprocket-wheels S T.

In practice the operator in charge of the ladle controls the tipping of it by means of the lever P. If he turns the latter forward or backward from its vertical positions, he can hold either one of the two contact-faces, a Z), in frictional contact with the friction-wheel Q, and thereby transmit the power from the revolving counter-shaft Z to the ladle. If the friction-wheel Q is in frictional contact with the friction-wheel J, a slow motion is obtained for tipping the ladle, and if the lever P is reversed, so as to bring the friction -wheel Q in contact with the friction-wheel K, a relatively faster motion in the opposite direction is obtained, which restores the ladle into position after pouring.

To obtain the movement of the ladle, the operator must keep hold of the lever P, as a slight pressure upon it is required to hold the friction-wheels in contact,- but this pressure is so light that it does not fatigue the operator, and instead of requiring the work of a strong man, as heretofore, a boy may now be enr ployed to manipulate the ladle. The position and arrangement of the lever P and the nature of the operating devices all combine to keep the friction-wheels out of contact and eX- clude any danger of getting accidentallydisplaced and become a source of danger, and the operator while tipping the ladle can display all his watchfulness, as heis not charged with heavy manual labor, as heretofore. The device for turning the ladle by hand I retain intact for use in case power is temporarily not available.

My friction device is especially applicable for operating the ladle by mechanical power,

as it may be started, stopped, and reversed so gradually that no spilling of the molten fluid can occur.

The devices for turning the ladle by mechanical power are preferably placed overhead to save floor-space, and it is immaterial whether achain or other devices are used to transmit the motion from the shaft L to the ladle.

The device may be easily arranged to operate several ladles by means of additional connections with the shaft L. S, Fig. 1, represents a sprocket wheel which may be used-for this purpose.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The combination, with a tilting ladle, of a friction device, substantially as described, and connections between said ladle and friction device, whereby said ladle can be moved at a faster or slower rate of speed, as desired.

2. The combination, with a tilting ladle, of the gear-wheel E, worm F, friction-wheels J K Q, and intermediate connections, substantially as described, all combined and operating to transmit a slow speed in one direction and faster speed in the opposite direction, as set forth. 7 r

3. The combination, with the ladle A, supported upon trunnions B, and provided with gear E, worm F, and bevel-gearG H, of the sprocket-wheel T, shaft L, having sliding bear-. ing d, friction-wheels J K, and sprocket-wheel S, carried by said shaft, the friction-wheel Q, secured to the driving-shaft Z, belt U, and means, substantially as described, for controlling the frictional contacts between said frictionwheel, as and for the purposes specified:

4. The combination of the shaft L, having sliding bearing'd, the friction-wheels K L, carried by said shaft, the friction-wheel Q, adapted:

to engage with said wheels and transmit motion in opposite directions and at a different rate of speed to the shaft L, with the frame 0, ladle A, journaled in said frame, connections, as described, between said ladle and shaft L, and the lever P and intermediate connections, substantially as described, for controlling the frictional contacts between the friction-wheels, as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination of the friction-wheel Q, secured on a stationary shaft driven by power, concentric friction-wheels J K, secured upon a shaft, L, having a sliding. bearing, Z, by means of which either one of them may be engaged with the friction-wheel Q, the lever P, and its connecting devices, with the sliding bearing (2 and suitable intermediate devices for transmitting motion from the shaft L to the worm-gear of the ladle, substantially as described.

J. HILL W'HITING.

lVitncsses:

H. S. SPRAGUE, E. J. SoULLY. 

